YES, it’s all for the best! Time to increase the taxes, again!

GEORGETOWN TODAY

By; Lawrence “Lonnie” Brennan

On Monday, October 29th, the good residents of Georgetown will be holding a “Special Town Meeting” to take a vote to raise up to $50 million for a new school.

Yes, estimates have ranged from the low 40s to the high 50s, and then there’s been estimates regarding another couple of million for roadwork, street lights etc. The goal: demolish the 1970-era vintage school called Penn Brook and build a new school, and make other school and related projects come to life.

Folks, there were meetings for years about this. I mean, years and years. And you didn’t attend. So, the committee members sifted through option after option and decided “nothing but the best, for the best’, and picked the most expensive option available. You can be proud when it’s built because it will be outstanding. It will be a true monument to taxpayer spending.

And, it’s only going to cost the average homeowner somewhere between $500-1,500 per year for the next two and a half decades. Oh, and on top of that you get all other kinds of tax increases, and the tax increase on top of the tax increase greater than $1 million infusion that was doled out last cycle.

Ah, but you contest the numbers? The “state” will pay for half of it. We’ll get a good bond rating. “Trust my numbers not what the assessors say” one person wrote last year before the big override. Anyone remember that? And how that person ended up being dead-wrong, and how many folks in town saw huge tax increases?

And, they’re doing it again: floating low-ball numbers saying it won’t cost you much. After all, “nothing but the best, for the best, trust us, not the people who send you the tax bills.”

So, I’m thinking my home is a couple of decades older than the Penn Brook school. And it needs a boiler and a hot water heater and windows and paint and a new roof and flooring. The kitchen cabinets are home-made originals from the 50’s and show it. Sure, we’ve done some improvement here and there, but I don’t have unlimited income from taxpayers supporting me. I’m happy when I can paint and repair/replace some old steps. Still, I should investigate it: actually, everyone who lives in a house older than the Penn Brook should think about just tearing it down and building new. Hey, our kids spend more time at home than at school. Why should their homes be in worse shape than the brand-new school? Remember ‘nothing but the best for the best.’

On a serious note, the vote will pass at the “Special Town Meeting” because the opposition won’t show up, or will be screamed at again, and attacked by the moon bats. And, then, the issues moves on to a second vote on Nov. 6th. And, keep in mind we expect another big tax override for the operating budget in two years. Why? Because they’re giving our raises again (oh, and calling them by one number, but then magically applying all kinds of time-on-the-job and education-level bonuses to make the net increases pretty nice for the recipients, and other bonuses too).

I did mention that our Town Administrator got a sweet $3,500 bonus this year since we’re so flush with funds from the override which was supposedly passed for the schools. That bonus ‘retirement annuity’ sure is a heck of a lot larger than any bonus you or I received this year, last year, the year before that, etc.

Vote for the tax increase. The economy is great. Your job is secure. You wife isn’t working multiple part-time jobs to put food on the table. Your husband saw no decrease in work, clients, benefits, raises, etc., You’re maxing out your 401K, you’ve taken to exotic vacations and cruises, and filling up the gas tank at $70 bucks is just chicken feed. Come one, be bold, be brave. I dare. Go ahead, make your day. But the best. For the best. Spend your weekends at the shore, on the sunny side of the street. Yes, it’s all for the best! p.s. I’ll be sure to post the results at www.GeorgetownToday.org. (Hmm, I should have taken video of the last override: they were cheering as if they won the lottery. Oh, wait. They did.)

Lonnie Brennan is a former Georgetown Selectman and candidate for State Representative. He is a republican activist and the founder of GeorgetownToday.org, and VoteCoreValues.org. You can email him at Lonnie@GeorgetownTODAY.org